“Heaven favour the good gentleman. How he had the news I know not. But so, it seemed, he represented the succeeding owner of ‘Delsrop.’ Sir, I crept back for food. Though the place was my horror and my despair, I had no stomach, feckless creature that I was, to force a living elsewhere. I crept back, and something drove me to tell Mr. Creel my whole unhappy tale. And he believed and pitied me, and put me in charge of the house that had been my bane and my prison. And here have I dwelt ever since; at first in great terror that the men would return, but gradually learning a sad serenity as the years passed and nought occurred to discomfort me.” “And how would you account for your immunity from further trouble?” “Ah!--twas e’en that they durst not return to the scene of their crime while yet the hue was up. And so, maybe, with such villains, one came to be hanged and another transported, till all were gone--all but him they called bloody Jack Fern, who hath reappeared after twenty peaceful years, to renew the search.” “But the others--his present confederates?” “They are new to me. He must have fellow-rogues, be sure, to whom he will confide--not like that other whom they murdered, who was of those few giants of crime that can be a tower of strength to themselves.” “Why, my good soul I could swear to a note of enthusiasm in your voice.” “Oh, sir! ’tis nothing but the natural homage of the weak to the strong; such as I would fain pay to my new master, would he let me.” “No flattery. And so Mr. Fern turned up again?” “It was the very day before your arrival that I first saw him. The thatch of his white hairs might not deceive me. And I thought I should ha’ died. After all those years! And the place gone to ruin in that long space, and only I its keeper. For this the fearful man had found out; but not of your coming, that should upset his plans--else had I been likely stiff by this time and rotting underground in some secret hole.” “And he sought to bribe you?” “He hath wrought upon me with menaces and promise of reward either to reveal the stone’s hiding-place--which he misdoubts I wot not of--or to give him secret search-warrant during your absences.” “Yet I must wonder how he ventured to assume your infidelity, nor dreaded you would acquaint me of all.” “Ah, sir! had he not known me in the pay of that other, his master? the which he used to threaten me, never doubting my old complicity.” “And all this you have resisted, good fellow, with your heart choking in your mouth?” “I have so desired--indeed, I have so desired, sir, to be thought clean and honest; and when your dislike fell upon me, I despaired of convincing you how I was no partner to any roguery; and the hopelessness of explaining wrought upon me till I half seemed to myself the very distrustful knave of your suspicions.” “It is changed--it is all changed. We will circumvent the rascals, and net them in the toils of their own weaving.”